Saturday, November 8, 2025
Nassau County Legislator Carrié Solages joined New York State Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages and the Haitian American Family of Long Island, Inc. to celebrate Haitian Heritage Month at the Valley Stream VFW.
The event, held on May 9 shortly before Haitian Flag Day on May 18, featured a vibrant evening of fine art, dancing and cultural presentations. The gathering highlighted the contributions of Haitian Americans and celebrated Haitian culture and history.
A special sense of pride filled the room in light of Pope Leo XIV’s recent ascension, whose Haitian heritage was recognized as a moment of joy and significance for the community.
Legislator Solages, the first Haitian American elected to the Nassau County Legislature in 2012, emphasized the Haitian American community’s importance in the region’s broader cultural fabric.
“Haitian Americans are a vital thread that strengthens the rich cultural tapestries found here in Nassau County and all across America,” Solages said. “Let this celebration of our heritage renew our commitment across the diaspora to supporting the people of our beloved homeland in the fight to restore peace and prosperity to the Caribbean’s first independent republic.”
The celebration brought together community members and leaders in a spirited recognition of Haitian contributions to American society and the ongoing legacy of the Caribbean’s first independent republic.
Haitian Heritage Month is a month-long celebration observed in May to honor the rich culture, history and contributions of the Haitian people, particularly in the United States. It was first celebrated in Boston in the late 1990s and has since spread to communities across the country.
Haitian Flag Day traces its origins to May 18, 1803, during the Congress of Arcahaie, a pivotal meeting of Haitian revolutionaries fighting for independence from French colonial rule. It was at this congress that leaders, including Jean-Jacques Dessalines, agreed to remove the white stripe from the French tricolor flag, symbolically rejecting French authority. They stitched together a new flag using the remaining blue and red bands, representing unity between Haiti’s Black African and mixed-race citizens.
This flag became a powerful emblem of the revolution and the fight for freedom, eventually leading to Haiti’s declaration of independence on Jan. 1, 1804. Haitian Flag Day has since become a national holiday in Haiti and a central celebration for Haitians around the world, honoring the country’s revolutionary legacy and cultural identity.
